Full Metal Panic!
Produced by Studio Gonzo in 2002, Full Metal Panic! is a masterclass in tonal whiplash. It takes a gritty, geopolitical mecha thriller and crashes it head-first into a chaotic high school romantic comedy. It shouldn't work, but it absolutely does. It set the stage for the pure comedy gold of Fumoffu and the incredibly dark, gritty warfare of The Second Raid.
24 episodes. Real mecha stakes. Unhinged comedy. A defining classic of its era.
Guides and reference pages for this series. More coming.